Ironing machine



yMay 5,A 1925.

1,536,235 R. J. MILLER IRONING MACHINE Filed March 5, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 fr in May 5, 1925.

R. J. MILLER IRONING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'May 5,1925.

l 1,536,235 R. J. MILLER IRONING MACHINE Filed Maxch 3, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

Parent ay s, raza MLP nl. It

e `i PATENT N lllimltllll'l MACHINE.

application ed March t, 19m. Ferial lt'o. tangled..

y To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RALPH J. ll/lrnrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in lroning Ma chines, ot which the following is aspecihcation.

rllhis invention pertains to ironing machines or mangles ot the well-known type which is characterized by the provision ot a rotating cloth-covered roller or drum, and a'shoe having a polished concave tace cooperating with the surface of the roller or drum to edect the ironing operation., the roller and drum being so mounted as to be capable ot a relative, opening and closing movement.

@ne object of the resent invention is to provide a very simp e and relatively inexpensive machine ot1 this type characterized by light weight, relatively :tew parts, and simplicity and ediciency of operation.l More speciiic objects are, to provide an improved mounting and operating mechanism for the shoe, through which the latter can4 be both separated from the roll to a limited extent and immediately returned to working position under spring pressure, and also separated from the roll and automaticall held in separated position, when require to prevent danger ot burning the covering of the roll; to provide an improved mount in tor the shoe which may be operated to 'shift the shoe relatively to the roll by either a hand lever or a toot lever; to provide a mountin for the shoe which, through superior exibility, will permit the latter more readily to adjust or ada t its working face to the surface ot the ro l; to provide a shoe mounting which will permit the shoe, when retracted from the roll, to be manually tipped so as to bring its working tace uppermost to facilitate the cleaning and wan.

.ing of the latter; and to provide a shoe mounting and operating mechanism especially adaptable to machines having a comparatively narrow ironing Width capacity.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Ihave illustrated one practical and shaped linlr; and

13, as follows.

till

Fig. 1 is a front elevation ot the complete i machine, broken out between its ends;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ot the same,

viewed trom the lett of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation ot the shoe mountinY and shoe operating mecham nism viewed om the right ol Fig. l, and showing the parts in the relative positions which they assume when the shoe is in working engagement with the roll;

Fi t is a view 'similar to Fig. 3, but shownng the parts in the relative positions which they occupy when the shoe issepau rated from the roll by the foot lever;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. i showing the relative positions ci' the parts when the shoe is separated from the roll by the hand lever; this view also showing in dotted lines the upwardly. tilted position oit the ,shoe t'or cleaning and waxing;

Fi 6 is a detail side elevation oli the hand e bar socket piece and lower arm ot the toggle continuous therewith;

Fig. is a cross section on the line lI--l' of Flg. 6i;

Fig. 8 is a detail elevation or the lengthwise adjustable upper linlr et the toggle;

Fig. 9 is a detail front elevation ot an l-l- Fig.. 10 is a side elevation oit 9.'

titi

Referring tothe drawings, 9 designates each ot a pair ot lower side frame members connected and spaced at their lower ends by front and rear tie rods 10 and l1. Supported on and connecting the u per ends of the trame members 9 is a boar 12. Supported on and bolted to the end portions of the board 12 are right and lett upper frame members 13 and lt formed with earin bosses 15 in and between which is journa ed the spindle 1t ot the ironing roller or drum 17.

18 designates an electric motor disposed between the front and rear legs of the upper frame member 13 with its armature shaft extending in a front and rear direction. 'lhe motor isdisposed' in inverted position, and suspended from lu s on the frame member e feet 19 on' the inner side of the motor frame are bolted to the under side of a horizontal strip 20, this latter having upstanding hinge lugs 21 on its Aas upper side that are'pivotally jointed by pivot bolts 22 to a pair of hinge lugs 23 on the inner side of the frame member 13. The feet 24 on the outer side of the motor frame are hung by bolts 25 and nuts 26 from a laterally projecting lug 27 on the outer side of the frame member 13. Coil compression springs 25 encircle the 'bolts 25, pressing the feet 24 of the motor against the nuts 26. By loosening the lat-ter, slack in the driving belt, hereinafter referred to, can be readily taken up. On the armature shaft of the motor'is a small pulley 28, which, through a belt 29, 4drives a large pulley 30 fast on the outer end of a horizontal.

transmission shaft 31 journaledin a bearing boss 32 formed on the rear wall of the upper box-like portion of the frame member 13. The inner end of this shaft 31 carries a worm 33 meshing with a worm wheel 34 fast on the drum shaft or spindle, by which the drum is rotated at a proper speed. The pulleys and belt .are enclosed in a housing 35, and the hollow upper portion of the frame member 13 containing the shaft, worm and worm gear, is covered by a detachable lid 36 to facilitate access for oiling the gears. Mounted on the front of the frame member 13 is a suitably insulated switch 37 for turning the current onto and off the motor. v

Referring next to the shoe, and the manner of, and means for, mounting, heating and operating the same, 38 designates the shoe as a. whole possessing the usual form and structure of shoes used in machines of this type, including the longitudinal 'gas burnerl pipe 39 mounted therein and equipped at one end with an elbow nozzle 40 for connection to a gas supply pipe or hose. This shoe, however, instead of being supported at its ends, as usual, is mounted at a' point substantially coincident with -its longitudinal center and in a manner which enables it to move bodily toward and from the drum and also to rock on a longitudinal pi-vot axis. Mounted on the board 12 at its longitudinal center is a bracket comprising parallel side plates 41 formed with base attachment flanges 42 apertured to receive fastening bolts 43, a connecting and spacing web 44, and horizontal bearings 45 on the upper ends of the side plates 41. In the bearings 45 is mounted a pivot shaft 46. Pivoted at its lower end on shaft 46 is an H-shaped link 47 shown in isolated detail in Figs. 9 and 10, the upper en-d of which is pivotally connected to the shoe by central hinge lugs 48 on the back of the latter and a hinge bolt 49. Mounted on the pivot shaft 46, between the lower limbs of the H-shaped link 47, is a bell-crank lever 50, having the principal functions of a toggle abutment f and a support for the lower edge of the shoe when the latter is moved out of contact with the drum by either the hand lever, or the foot lever hereinafterdescribed. This bellcrank 50 vhas a rearwardly projecting arm 51, a forwardly projecting arm 52 lying beneath and crosswise of the lower edge of the shoe, and a downwardly extending arm 53 lying behind the web 44 of the bracket. On the rear faceof the H-shaped link 47 are a pair of spaced. lugs 54, 54 (Fig. l0), one of which 54 is longer than vthe other for a purpose later disclosed. Pivoted to and between the lugs 54, 54 at its upper end is the upper arm of a toggle, said upper arm preferably made adjustable as tol length by being composed of two members 55 and 56 (Fig. 8), one having a tenon 56 screwing into a tapped hole 55 in the other. The lower arm of the toggle, as shown in the detail views Figs. 6 and 7, comprises a pair of parallel strips 57 rigidly connected by an integral strip 58, which latter is continued upwardly and terminates in a handle socket 59 adapted to rece-ive a removable handle 60. The two strips 57 of the lower toggle armat their lower end strad-dle and are pi-votally connected by a pin 6l to the horizontal arm 51 of the bell-crank 50, and at their upper end straddle-and are pivotally connected by a pin 62 to the lower end of the lower member 56 of the upper toggle arm.

The depending arm 53 of the bellcrank 50is normally drawn rearwardly toward the web 44 of the bracket by a thrust spring 63 encircling a tension bolt 64-mounted in the arm 53 and extending rearwardly through an opening 65 in the web 44, said spring bearing at one end against a nut 66 on the bolt, by which its tension may be adjusted, and at its other end on the web 44.

' 67 is a pedal lever fulcrumed at 68 on the rear tie-rod 11 and connected a short distance in advance of its fulcrum by hinged links 6.9 and 70 to the longer rearwardly projecting .hinge-lug or arm 54 of the H- shaped link 47. A brace 71 is interposed between the rear tie-rod 11,adjacent to the lever fulcrum point 68, and the board 12 t0 prevent bending of the tie rod.

Supported on brackets 72 carried by the upper frame members 13 and 14 is the usual ironing board 73; and detachably suspended by hooks 74 engaged in holes inthe lower side frame members 10 is a pan 75. for supporting long articles like sheets and tableclothsas the latter arefe'd over the front edge of the board 73.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the roll and shoe are of what is known as the open end type of construction. That is to say, the arc-shaped Working area of the shoe and drum at one end of the machine (the' left as herein shown) is open and unobstructed by the upper side frame member or any shoe support, so that it is possible to iron pieces of somewhat greater width l than the length ofthe roll and shoe by passv roll, the lower edge ofthe shoe ,resting onk ing the piece once through the machine and thenl turning the same edge for edge and repasslng it through the machine to iron the part overhanging the open end of the roll is somew iat impractical-to support a longA shoe ata single point midlength thereof.

The mode of operating the machine should be fairly vwell understood lfrom the foregoing description of its structural features. Figs. 1, 2 and 8 illustrate the normal working position' of the. parts wherein the shoe is pressed against the rolll by the spring 63 acting through the elbow lever 50, the straightened toggle, and the H link 47. By depression of the foot lever 67, the link 47 is swung outwardly yon its pivot 4G, as shown in Fig. 4, thus retraeting the shoe from the the arm 52. As soon as the foot is removed from the pedal lever 67, the spring- 63 immediately returns` the parts to` the working position. 1

If it is desired to retract the shoefrom the roll and hold it in retracted position for some time, to prevent danger of burning the covering ofthe roll or'for any other reasons,

the hand lever 60 is swung rearwardly to therposition shown in Fig. 5. This it will be observed breaks the toggle, so that the spring 63 no longer acts to restore theshoe to, working position, and the shoe is thus held separated from the roll, resting on the arm 52. If at this time it is 'desired to clean or wax the concave working face of the shoe, the latter is readily tilted by manual manipulation to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, whichfac-ilitates these operations. The parts `are restored to normal working position by merely drawing the hand lever forwardly again, which straightens the toggle. From the foregoing it will be observed'that while the foot and hand levers have afunction in common to the extent of separating the shoe from the roll, yet they also have-(liti1 ering functions in that the foot level" merely effects a temporary' and limited retraction of the `shoe and when released allows the spring to return the shoe to working position, while the hand lever permaf nently separates the shoe from the rolluntil it is again returned to its normal vupright position.

IVhile I have herein shown and described one practical embodiment of the invention which has been found in practice to satisfactorilyeffectuate thestated'purposesand i" obJects thereof, it-is manifest that the ma# Jchinemay `be variously modified -i'nv details of structure and arrangement without departing from the fundamental principles of operation or rsacrificing any of the adv vantages inherent therein. Hence I reserve such variations and modifications'as fall within the spirit and purviewof the appended claims.

I claimo l; In an ironing machine, the'combination of a frame, an ironing roll journaled at bothv 1 ends in and lengthwise of said frame, a shoe behind and co-operating with said roll, a single rigid link pivotally Asupported at its lower end on said frame and-pivotally jointed at its upper end to and mid-length of the back of said shoe', spring actuated means for pressing said shoe into contact with said roll, and a hand lever connected to said link i and extending above said roll and shoe for swinging said link vrearwardly and thereby drawing said shoe awayfroln said roll;

2. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing roll journaled in saidv frame, a sbocco-operating with said roll, a central hinge lug on the back of saidshoe, a rigid link pivotally supported at its lower end on said frame, a hinge bolt'pivotally connecting said hinge lug to the upper end of said link, a hand lever pivotally supported at its lower end, a link connecting said hand lever to said first-named link,- and spring-actuated means on which said hand lever is pivotally 4 supported operative through said hand lever and links to press saidshoe into contact with said roll.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing roll journaled insaid frame, a shoe co-operating with said roll, a

link pivotally supported at its lower end on said frame and at its upper end pivotally jointed to the back of said shoe mid-length of the latter, means for swinging said link rearwardly to thereby withdraw said shoe from said roll, and a member underlying said shoe and formed with a flat upper surface extending transversely of the full width ofthe lower edge of said shoe serving to' 'suplport the latter when retracted from the ro i 4. In Van ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing roll journaled in said frame, a shoe, a substantially vertical link pivotally supported at its lower end on said fra-me and at its upper end pivotally jointed to the backv of said shoe, a rearwardly extending arm on said link, a lever fulcrumedv coaxially,` with the lower pivot vof said link, a toggle pivoted at its upper .end

to said arm and at its lower end to one arm of said lever, a spring anchored to and acting upon the other arm ofv said-lever, an upwardly extending handle continuous with the lower arm of said toggle, a foot lever fulcrume'd on Said frame, and a link connecting said foot lever to the rearwardly extending arm of said link.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of a frame, an ironing roll journaled in said frame, a shoe, a substantially vertical link pivotally supported at its lower end on said frame and at its upper end pivotallyjointed to the back of said shoe mid-length of the latter, a rearwardly extending arm on said link, a three-arm lever fulcrumed coaxially with the lower pivot of said link and having a rearwardly extending arm, a forwardly extending arm underlyin the lower 15 edge of said shoe, and a depen ing arm, a toggle pivoted at its upper end to the rearwardly extending arm of said link and at its lower end to the rearwardly extending arm of Said three-arm lever, a s ring an- 25 chored to and acting u on, the epending arm of said three-arm ever, an upwardly extending handle on the lower arm of said toggle, a foot lever fulcrumed on said frame, and a pull link connecting said foot lever to 30 the rearwardly extending arm of said link.

RALPH J. MILLER. 

